Luke said that Levi gave a great banquet for Jesus (Καὶ ἐποίησεν δοχὴν μεγάλην Λευεὶς αὐτῷ) in his house (ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ). There was a large crowd of tax collectors (καὶ ἦν ὄχλος πολὺς τελωνῶν) and others (καὶ ἄλλων οἳ ἦσαν) sitting or reclining at the table with them (μετ’ αὐτῶν κατακείμενοι). Mark, chapter 2:15, and Matthew, chapter 9:10, are similar to Luke, so that Mark might be the source of this event. Mark and Luke explicitly mentioned that Jesus was having a meal in the house of Levi. Perhaps Levi was wealthy enough to have a house big enough for a large banquet. As Levi was a tax collector, other tax collectors were there also. Was this a farewell meal for Levi as he was about to set out as a disciple of Jesus? Jesus sat or reclined at the dining table in Levi’s house. However, besides the tax collectors, Mark and Matthew said that a lot of sinners came to sit down or recline with Jesus and his disciples. However, Luke simply called them “others.” These tax collectors were collecting money or tolls for the Roman Empire, so that they could hardly be called model Jewish citizens. The others or sinners, on the other hand, could either be non-Jewish gentiles or other public immoral unclean Jewish men. In general, tax collectors and sinners were lumped together, since neither cared much for following the Jewish law, unlike the Pharisees. Matthew said some of the disciples of Jesus were there. He also said that this meal was in a house without indicating whose house. Would it have been the house of Jesus in Capernaum? Presumably, it was the house of Matthew, the tax collector, since other tax collectors were there also.

Luke, chapter 5:29, and Matthew, chapter 9:10, are similar to Mark, so that Mark might be the source of this event. Here and in Luke, it was explicitly mentioned that Jesus was having a meal in the house of Levi (Καὶ γίνεται κατακεῖσθαι αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ). As Levi was a tax collector, other tax collectors (καὶ πολλοὶ τελῶναι) were there also. Was this a farewell meal for Levi as he was about to set out as a disciple of Jesus? Jesus sat or reclined at the dining table in this house. However, besides the tax collectors, a lot of sinners came to sit down or recline (καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ συνανέκειντο) with Jesus and his disciples (τῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ). The tax collectors were collecting money or tolls for the Roman Empire, so that they could hardly be called model Jewish citizens. The sinners (ἁμαρτωλοὶ), on the other hand, could either be non-Jewish gentiles or other public immoral Jewish men, who were unclean. In general, tax collectors and sinners were lumped together, since neither cared much for following the Jewish law, unlike the Pharisees. However, many people were already followers of Jesus (ἦσαν γὰρ πολλοὶ καὶ ἠκολούθουν αὐτῷ). How were these followers different from his disciples?

This story about this dinner party is similar to Mark, chapter 2:15, and Luke, chapter 5:29, but there it was explicitly mentioned that this meal took place in the house of Levi, the Jewish name for Matthew. Here it simply says that this meal was in a house (ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ) without indicating whose house. Would it have been the house of Jesus in Capernaum? Presumably, it was the house of Matthew, the tax collector. since other tax collectors (καὶ ἰδοὺ πολλοὶ τελῶναι) were there also. Was this a farewell meal for Matthew as he was to set out as a disciple of Jesus? If this Matthew was the author of this gospel, there is very little elaboration here about his house or dinner party. Jesus sat or reclined at the dining table in this house (Καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτοῦ ἀνακειμένου ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ). However, besides the tax collectors, a lot of sinners came to sit down or recline (καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἐλθόντες συνανέκειντο) with Jesus and his disciples (τῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ). The tax collectors were collecting money for the Roman Empire, so that they could hardly be called model Jewish citizens. The sinners (ἁμαρτωλοὶ), on the other hand, could either be non-Jewish gentiles or other public immoral Jewish men, who were unclean.